School life
Pastoral care
Pastoral support at Saint Cecilia’s is a key strength, setting us apart from other schools. We prioritise each child’s welfare, removing barriers to learning so they can reach their full potential and make informed decisions. Every pupil has a mentor, belongs to a house and can seek support from staff, our Chaplain or the Bethany Centre, a dedicated space for inclusion.
We are a school on a human scale - large enough to offer a rich curriculum and extra-curricular opportunities, yet not so huge that children fall through the cracks. Every child is known and supported.
Mentors
We are proud of our mentor system. Each child is assigned to a mentor group, where mentors monitor well-being and academic progress, liaising with parents and teachers to ensure pupils are happy, safe and progressing well. Mentor meetings, held three four a week, provide time for individual check-ins and help build strong relationships within the group. In Year 7, mentor groups are just 15 pupils, rising to 30 from Year 8 onwards. Mentors are the first point of contact for parents/carers with any concerns.
Houses
Each year group is divided into six houses (S, A, I, N, T, C). Our houses are named after famous mathematicians and musicians to reflect our specialisms. The house system is popular, fostering competition and embodying our values as an integral part of school life. The House Cup is awarded to the house with the highest points score each term, with the overall winner announced at the end-of-year assembly. Pupils earn points for their house through attendance, effort and behaviour. There are various inter-house competitions throughout the year, including Sports Day, football games, Saint Cecilia’s Bake Off and the Battle of the Bands, with winners gaining points for their house.
Chaplaincy and spiritual support
We have a full-time chaplain and a thorough chaplaincy programme that includes Collective Worship at the end of each day and prayer meetings for parents, students and staff. Our chapel is available for pupils and staff for voluntary services or private prayer and reflection. Mentor meetings also include time for Christian reflection and prayer.
Our Worship in the Community events celebrate key Christian dates, with the whole school visiting local churches to learn about them and experience a service. Throughout their time at the school, pupils attend retreats designed to promote team spirit and reflection on their personal values and interactions with others. Key Stage 3 retreats encourage pupils to appreciate their individual value and the impact of their actions on peers and the wider community.
Click here to read more about our chaplaincy.
Rewards and celebrations
We reward attendance, collection of points and living out our GLORIFY values. We hold a whole school celebration evening each year to congratulate excellence in subject achievement or effort and present a series of special awards.
Well-being and mental health support
We have a separate email account iwanttotalk@saintcecilias.london where children can privately contact us regarding any worries or concerns.
We work with Place2Be, a mental health charity that helps young people to explore their emotions and feel better about themselves. Our dedicated Place2Be mental health professional is in school weekly and offers regular support for pupils and students who will benefit most. We have support on offer for pupils from our dedicated Education Well-being Practitioner (Wandsworth Education Well-being Service). Pupils can self-refer to this service (or be referred).
We also have a buddy mentor system where pupils are supported by their peers with issues such as friendship support, coping with the transition to secondary school, managing work and homework. Buddies taking part in the scheme are identified by their Year Leader and paired up with a pupil usually from a different year group. The Year Leaders work hard to match pupils and students up who they think will benefit from working together.
Click here to read more on our website about well-being and safeguarding.
The Bethany Centre
Our Bethany Centre provides comprehensive support and inclusion across the school, meeting the needs of all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs, English as an additional language, or personal challenges like bereavement. Sessions are run by Learning Support Assistants, external professionals, the SENCo and teaching staff. We work closely with outside agencies for additional support when needed. For parents and carers, the centre hosts coffee mornings and drop-in sessions. Fully refurbished for September 2024, it provides a welcoming space for all.
“Pupils are kept safe at school. They feel well supported and know that adults are there for them”
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